Shoes
Topo Athletic Mountain Racer 3
I've now used Topo's on my last two thru-hikes and most of my traditional backpacking for over two years now. I found the Mountain Racers before the Hayduke in 2024 and after a few hundred training miles I knew I had my next shoe. They have a 33mm stack height in the heel and a 5mm "drop" to the toe at 28mm. This gives the shoe plenty of cushion without being too plush and it retains great ground feel despite the stack height. This may be do to the lack of any rock plate and I've appreciated the nimble feel for such a cushioned and wide shoe. Especially while on the Hayduke, where we were often scrambling, sometimes on high consequence terrain. And the absent rock plate is only negatively noticed by me after many (10+) miles of continuous sharp gravel.
The uppers are incredibly durable and I haven't put a hole in a pair yet I've worn through the soft liner around the ankle but only after almost 500 miles of use. The Vibram Megagrip outsole is long lasting and with 4.5mm treads its aggressive enough for steep loose dirt and mud but not so tall you feel like your balancing on them when on firm terrain like sandstone or pavement.
They have Topo's standard wide toe box and generally a looser fit throughout the shoe. This isn't an issue for my hiking, its my preferred fit, but when I run in them the feel can be slightly sloppy when turning aggressively. Everything considered, they're now my favorite long distance hikers.
(seen here in Mango (great color, thanks Topo!) on Moose at the AZT monument before heading south to the Grand Canyon and below descending the Nankoweap "Trail" into the canyon)
Altra Lone Peak 8
Bugs has used the last several generations of the Lone Peaks for well over 2000 miles of combined hiking. She has especially wide feet and Altras "foot shape" shoes, with their wide toe box, fit the bill. She also loves the lower stack, which gives them a very flexible and natural feel. They retain Altra's classic "0 drop" as well, with no difference in cushion height between the heel and the toe. These are the most common shoe seen on long distance hikers in America and there is good reason. When foot comfort is an essential part of your daily existence, these shoes are hard to beat.
The last few generations have continued to improve the durability of the uppers, an area with they have suffered in the past. And now Bugs has grabbed a pair of the Lone Peak 9+. These guys have a Vibram Megagrip outsole and we hope this provides long lasting tread for our upcoming thru-hike of the Transcaucasian Trail where she'll have two pairs for 1000 rugged miles.
(Lone Peak 8's seen on Bugs on the Hayduke following an alternate through Bryce Canyon National Park)
